


Pyrite

by JustaBluebird



Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: Hurt No Comfort, Hurt Oliver, Hurt/Comfort, Mental Health Issues, Regret, Torture
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-09
Updated: 2014-08-09
Packaged: 2018-02-12 11:07:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,210
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2107563
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JustaBluebird/pseuds/JustaBluebird
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Slade knows that it's Oliver's fault that Shado died and he is going to make the kid suffer for it. There is only one problem; Oliver is innocent.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Pyrite

“You could have done something; you could have saved her.” Dr Ivo said as he clutched the arrow in his shoulder. He leaned against the console in the ship's control room, tense, either braced against further attacks or ready to make a run for it. Oliver stood at the center of the room, bow drawn on the man, and Slade, who was about to enter the room, paused at the door behind him.

“Back then I gave you a choice, who to live and who to die.” Dr. Ivo continued. “ You could have picked Shado. She could still be alive if it wasn’t for you.” 

Slade stepped into the room. “Is that true?” 

Oliver whipped around to aim at Slade before lowering his bow. “I….no.”

“You hesitated.” 

“Look, I can explain-”

“You're lying. You could have stopped it. You could have saved her. It was you!” Slade lunged, his fist smashing into the younger man side making him drop his bow. Winded, Oliver tried to block Slade’s next strike only to get thrown into the control console. Oliver tried to stand back up, but the older man’s rage turned into a deadly focus. Slade pulled back his arm and punched Oliver straight in the temple. The younger man went slack and fell to the floor unconscious. 

In the distance, a splash sounded where Dr. Ivo jumped ship.

\------------------------------------

“I know Mr. Hendrick is with you,” Slade continued “he is not among the crew or the dead. Surely Oliver is worth more to you than a ship’s mechanic.”

The morning sun brightened the radio room glinting off the receiver Slade held. There was a pause, then a click as Sara’s staticy voice came through.

“He’s really not here. He’s dead.” 

The man snorted and turned off the machine.

“It looks like they don’t care about you.” Slade said as he turned to Oliver who was slung up by a chain from the ceiling; his toes scraping the ground. Oliver’s eyes were clenched shut as he focused on breathing through his teeth. His chest and arms were covered with small electrical burns. Not long ago, Slade would have tended to these wounds the same way Oliver had when Slade’s bullet wound got infected. Back then the kid had not only pulled the bullet out, but went out on his own to gather herbs too. Slade knows how friends can betray you though, and now these burns were just a warm up for the main event. 

“It makes sense that they don't. Afterall, who would care about someone like you?” Slade walked around till he he was directly behind Oliver and whispered into his ear.

“You killed Shado.”

“I didn’t-

“You killed Shado.” Slade snapped pushing his thumb into one of the burns. “And now you will bear her mark so you will never forget that.” Oliver’s muscles jumped making him sway on the chain. Slade backed up, turned, and started walking out of the room. 

“Please Slade, I didn’t, Slade don’t-”

the tattoo gun buzzed on as the door clicked shut.

\------------------------------------

It had been a week and Oliver had not begged since that one ‘please’ in the radio room. Since then, the traitor had been moved to a walled cell, one of the originals in the ship and separated from the cages in the cargo hold. It was isolated, and though the location changed Oliver remained bound to the ceiling. Purple bruises stained his wrists, his body was slack and his arms dislocated from his shoulders. On the first day in the cell Slade had ordered for the youth’s food to be cut and Oliver’s cheeks were starting to sink in. Slade examined a hunting blade from a table of tools and knives he ordered his crew to bring in.

“All of this. Is your fault. Not admitting your crimes will not lessen them.” Slade ran his finger along the knife. “Unfortunately, or fortunately, the ship's mechanic did die in the attack, caught in the tides swimming to shore, so we have plenty of time.” Slade walked closer and traced a line down Oliver’s cheek with the tip of the blade. 

“Shado gave us all gifts. She gave her care, her knowledge, her skill.” It was true, Shado had spent so much time looking for food, sewing up wounds, and being patient when she trained Oliver for hours like Slade used to, laughing and smiling when the kid finally got something right. 

“You, Oliver, only take. You took from her, and then you took her life.” Oliver opened his mouth and let out a hacking cough.

“I never...hurt her.”

“You don’t deserve her gifts.” Slade continued as though the youth never spoke. “And I am going to take them from you.” Slade paused.

“You have been hanging there a long time Oliver, do you think your fingers still work? Let’s make sure.” Slade’s arm shot up snatching the first two fingers of Oliver’s right hand. The younger man struggled weakly as Slade braced the knife and started to slice into the flesh, bone scraping against metal as Oliver screamed. Slade let the bloody fingers drop to the floor with a wet thump, his face blank as he observed tears bead up at the edges of Oliver’s eyes.

“Now you will never wield a bow like she did.”

\------------------------------------

It was nearing three weeks and Oliver didn’t need to be tied up anymore. He mostly lay on the ground in a heap, struggling to sit up and turn his head to watch people entering his cell. Of course, even in this state he was not given free reign of the space. Oliver’s wrists and feet were still bound and an anklet chain tied him to the far wall. The kid was resourceful after all, he had proven that multiple times on the island from breaking his own thumb to get out a restraint (and therefore showing to Slade he was worth training), to fixing the radio the older man had long since given up on with nothing more than determination and pure blind optimism. 

Slade stood in half shadow by the entrance of the cell.

“Even after all this time you are so...resistant. You have always been a stubborn kid.” The older man paused and took a breath. “The men are getting restless. I have had them scavenging for food on the Island. When they were out there they stumbled across some of the escapees. I’m sorry to say Oli, your precious Sara did not make it through the fight.” Oliver tensed breath wheezing out is short bursts..

“No ... no.”

“No, she couldn’t get caught? No, she couldn't be dead?” Slade crossed the room and crouched down next to Oliver. “How does it feel to loose someone you love? Do you know what they did to her before she died? I’ll give you a hint, it’s what they are going to do to you, only you won’t get the escape of death.” His fingers trailed over the dragon tattoo on Oliver’s shoulder ignoring the boys choking sobs.

\------------------------------------

Eight days later brought two big events, the engine sputtering on and Dr. Ivo getting dragged onto the ship. His clothes were torn, covered with mud, and his legs shook forcing him to lean on his captors arms. The thing that stood out the most about the man, however, was the green pus filled infection that dribbled down from his shoulder to his arm. Slade met them in the hold. 

“Leave us.” The crewmembers dropped the trembling man who crumpled to the floor. From there he gazed up at the former agent with an almost blank expression. 

“It seems the the island has treated you with it’s usual hospitality” The man on the floor smirked slightly at the words.

“Savages, the lot of you, thriving in a place like that, but my arm, that was a gift from your boy. Funny how hard it is to make a sterile environment in the woods, even with my training. Thank you for taking care of him for me.” A strange feeling started to settle in Slade’s stomach.

“He is not one of mine.”

“You could have fooled me. Sara told me how much he talks about you, like somehow everything would be solved if you were there.” Dr. Ivo replied.

“Do you really know what happened that night?” he continued. “There I was with three dangerous prisoners, a fourth missing, and I think to myself, what's the best way to handle this situation? So I set them down and I tell the boy to choose one of the girls to live and one to die, that if he didn’t I would kill both of them. But he doesn’t. Just starts crying and whining no, please don’t, kill me instead, so I have to give him a time limit. You know what he does? He throws himself at me, still begging, begging me to kill him.” Dr. Ivo smiled.

“So I lifted my gun, and I shot Shado in the head! Don’t you get it Slade? It was always going to be her. No matter what he said I was going to kill her. It was the only way to distract you, make you turn on each other. In a single move I killed three birds with one stone!” Dr. Ivo was almost hysterical, little laughs punctuating his words. 

Slade was perfectly still.

“You're lying.”

“Why would I lie? I’m dead now anyway.” He gestured to his arm “No point trying to cover up the big play. Now I just want to see you suffer as much as possible before I go. That kid looks up to you, hope you haven't done anything too…permanent.”

Rage boiled up inside of Slade and his fingers clenched around the hilt of his sword, his knuckles turning white. He ripped the sword out of its sheath slashed it through the doctor’s neck. Blood spurted from Ivo’s throat as he collapsed to the floor.

Oh god, the kid. The stupid naive kid. What had he done?

Slade rushed to the holding cell barely stopping himself from breaking out into a run. He threw open the door only to be face with pitch darkness. He flipped on the light-

The kid.

Oliver lay in a ball in the center of the floor, his face covered by his arms, only wearing the ankle chain Slade locked him in. His skin was more purple and yellow than the tan it used to be. The wounds that littered Oliver's body were still caked with dried blood. He didn’t move. 

“Kid” Slade swallowed. “Hey kid.” 

Oliver didn’t move. 

The older man shut the door and slowly creeped up on Oliver, hand raised as though to calm him. Oliver remained unresponsive as Slade crouched down and shakily placed his fingers to the pulse point on Oliver’s neck because Oliver couldn’t be dead. Slade had given strict orders not to kill the kid and the crew were too afraid of Slade to disobey him. Not even when Slade gave them free access to the cell. Not even if they went overboard in the heat of the moment forgetting that the kid was not as strong as he used to be-

There was a pulse.

Slade cupped the back of the kids head and turned it so he could see his face. Oliver’s eyes were glassy, staring out at some point far beyond the room. His face was bathed in bruises. 

“Kid… this isn’t so bad yeah? You’ll get better, start bothering me like you always do. Bet you're gonna whine like hell” Slade’s eyes trailed down the still body taking in the silhouetted ribs and fingermarks circling Oliver’s waist. The former agent had to swallow his fury at the men who had dared touch Oliver. A feint part of his mind reminded him that he had given them permission, that it was his fault, that it was as good as clasping Oliver himself, forcing his way in as the kid screamed. Slade shook his head. Oliver needed him.

“Let’s… get you cleaned up. Probably think this is funny, getting back at me for when you had to nurse me with that bullet in my shoulder.” He unlocked the chain and lifted the boy. He stood faster than he intended due to Oliver's unexpected lightness. The kid was practically bones and it was him who gave the order to cut the kids food, taunted him by leaving meals just outside of the kids reach. How good it felt then, like retribution. Now it just made him feel queasy and choked. How could he have been so fucking stupid?

“Just wounds, we’ve healed up from them before.”

 

\------------------------------------

The bath soaked off the dried blood and filth, but also opened up some of the more recent wounds causing them to bleed. Oliver's head rolled as Slade dried him off and started wrapping the wounds with clean gauze. Poking through the white strips was the face of Shado’s dragon. This was the boy she trained, the one she forced to disgruntly slap water while the adults spared and laughed only a few feet away. The one who impressed her by skinning a rabbit the way Slade had taught him. The kid she taught her family's bow wielding to, the skill she learned from her own father. Her only disciple.

Oliver was missing the first two fingers on his right hand. 

But that was ok. Plenty of people shot with their non dominant hand. Given enough time and training he could even use his pinky and his ring finger to bear the weight of the draw. The skill was not lost yet. They had time to relearn. 

Slade tried not to think about the sound of scraping bone as he tended to the stumps, or where the missing fingers could be because it suddenly mattered where every last piece of Oliver was regardless if it they would be rotten and useless by now. 

Slade rest Oliver on the captain’s bed deciding to take the chair till he could get a second one brought in. Dinner was a long and difficult affair with Slade to pouring liquids into Oliver’s mouth and forcing him to swallow. Oliver sputtered, not there enough to understand he could not breathe and eat at the same time. It felt a bit like being back in the cell, when he was hurting the kid.

Slade ordered for a IV to be found immediately, but in the mess that was the ship it would take some time before one was unearthed. As the hours went by Oliver continued to stare, his eyelids slowly drooping till he fell asleep. Slade stayed awake, ever vigilant, just like when they would trade watches in the abandoned plane. 

Nothing had changed.

\------------------------------------

With the engine at full capacity the ship hit mainland in just a few weeks time. A few days into the trip the men who had touched Oliver had been gutted and thrown overboard in a show of force. The remaining crew, who had hunkered down to avoid the crazed captain, fled into the hustle and bustle of the city as soon as the ship landed.

Slade abandoned the ship and rented out a hotel room with some of the cash from Ivo’s safe. Calling in a few favors got him the banking information for the rest of Ivo’s funds and some feet on the ground to look for the foundations for the rest of the doctor’s enterprise. 

Oliver was doing better, turning his head when he heard Slade call his name, but narrowing and opening his eyes as though he was not sure what was there. He couldn’t walk on his own, but Slade had plenty of strength to spare and took to carrying Oliver around so he could keep an eye on the kid. Slade’s contacts got him the name of a discrete doctor in the area and he made an appointment.

\------------------------------------

“Hello Oliver, we are just going to do a few tests today, are you ok with that?” Oliver sat on the examination table staring blankly ahead. His eyes started to wander downwards and left to the floor as his head tilted. Slade leaned on the wall focused on the scene.

“Ok then, this is a penlight, I want you to try and follow it with your eyes” the doctor pushed the penlight close to Oliver's face and into his line of sight. Oliver snapped back, startled, and narrowed his eyes at the light. As the doctor pulled the light side to the side Oliver’s eyes followed briefly before trailing away. 

“That was very good.”The doctor clicked off the light and continued with the examination.  
When he was done he turned to Slade, lowering his voice as he flipped through some papers.

“Physically, the test results show numerous broken bones, burns, starvation, the works. I sent out tests for various sexually transmitted diseases which should come back in few days. The good new is that everything does not seem to be infected, which is practically a miracle. He should heal, though he will need physical therapy if he is going to walk again. Mentally, it’s too early to tell how this will affect him long term. He was struck pretty heavily in the head multiple times and that is not counting the emotional trauma from the event. Currently, he is able to focus for short periods of time and shows no delay in tracking objects. With practice, the time he can focus could increase. I prescribed some antibiotic just to be sure and some painkillers. He should come back for a follow up so we can keep track of his progress”

Slade agreed and gathered Oliver into his arms, the younger man curling his fingers into Slade’s shirt.

 

\------------------------------------

“Hello Oliver, how are you feeling today?” Oliver’s eyes turned to the doctor before wandering to Slade. Slade nodded and Oliver’s gaze turned to his shoes.

“M’ fine.”

“That’s good to hear. You were hurt very badly Oliver, do you remember what happened?” 

“...No.”

“It’s not uncommon to forget something like that. Do you remember anything from before you were hurt?” 

Oliver bit his lip and paused before shaking his head jerkily. 

“Do you know the man you came in with?” Oliver looked up and nodded.

“Slade.”

“And who is Slade to you?”

“He keeps me safe.” The sure way Oliver said it, even though the kid answered that question the same way at every appointment, made a wave of guilt wash over Slade. They had been coming to these appointments for a few months now. Most of that time they spent together in their hotel room. Oliver usually lay down in the bed or on the floor while Slade worked on the computer or on the phone taking over Ivo’s empire and starting to build his own. Not everything could be done from a distance though, and sometimes he would have to leave Oliver for a few hours, which made Slade twitchy and distracted the entire time.

“That’s good Oliver. I have something for you” The doctor pulled out a small object made out of interlocking metal rings. “This is a puzzle, it is ok if you don’t solve it, but I would like you to try”.

Oliver took the puzzle and let it rest in his hand. He didn’t move.

“The rings move if you turn them, the goal is to separate the rings from each other. I can show you-” As the doctor reached for the puzzle Oliver tensed and tightly gripped the puzzle turning his knuckles white. His eyes were focused on the man.

“...Or you could hold onto it a while” The doctor leaned back. “Solving puzzles should help increase your focus.” 

The doctor continued with the examination asking questions and taking various tests. By the end he asked to speak to Slade alone in the hall and Slade reluctantly agreed. 

“Unfortunately, the damage to his mind is more extensive than I hoped. Emotionally, he shows signs of possessive behavior. He doesn’t take, but once he has something he will fight to keep it. I wouldn’t be surprised if he has food aggression as well, though both traits may lessen over time. His memory, on the other hand, may be lost to him even with extensive therapy. I think you also should start preparing for the idea that he may never be able to express himself in a more complex manner than he does now. He is still able to think and form opinions on things, but the lack of focus combined with the brain damage means he often chooses simple sentences and ideas. For the same reason, it will probably take him longer than average to process new information and arrange a response. You are going to need to be patient with him.”

“...will he ever be able to wield a bow?” 

The doctor blinked, a little taken aback.

“Well... maybe. He seems to be the most focused when he is surprised or expecting a fight, so it may even help him recover.” 

“Then we will be fine”

\------------------------------------

Slade took Oliver to forest on the outskirts of town as soon as the kid was able to begin archery training. Though Slade was not an archer himself, he remembered the lessons Shado taught and tried to imitate them. At first Oliver could not even pull back the bowstring, his arms shaking with the effort before he would simply sit down and stare into the distance. Over time however he started building up his muscles and hitting his targets. Aim seemed to come easier to him the second time around, one of their few blessings.

Slade spent his free time wheedling his way into various organizations and taking them over from the inside. His empire was growing and it would give them a constant source of income once Ivo’s money ran out. He couldn’t afford to take on odd jobs after all, he had someone who depended on him.

\------------------------------------

“You are hard men to find Mr. Wilson” Anatoly walked into the spacious office leaving his personal bodyguards outside the door. Slade sat at his desk with Oliver on the plush carpet on his right hand side working on a puzzle. The years had been good to Oliver, his muscles fleshing out to their former glory and his skin once again tan. His clothes were all custom tailored for comfort with the exception of the green hood he had pulled over his head. Nearby a bow and full quiver rested ready for use. 

“Some would say that’s the point Mr. Knyazev. Please sit.” He gestured to an armchair in front of his desk and Anatoly accepted gracefully. 

“So what interest am I to the leader of the Bratva?” 

“It is not you I am here for but Oliver” At this Oliver’s head snapped up from his puzzle, looking around till his eyes eventually settled on Anatoly before switching to Slade and then wandering away again. Absentmindedly, Oliver lifted one of the puzzle pieces and started to mouth it. 

“I did not have the pleasure of meeting you on Lian Yu, but me and Oliver both were under Dr. Ivo’s tender care. We were next to each other in the cages. When Oliver told me he was going to escape I never believed he would, never-the-less uphold his promise to come back and free us. That sort of loyalty and bravery is hard to find and I am certain that I owe him my life.” Anatoly’s eyes softened as they rested on Oliver. He continued in a quieter tone.

“I had heard tale of his condition, but hoped it was not so. Oliver is a friend for life of the Bratva, and while I know you care for him now, he needs only to ask for our help. I wish to officially gift him the rank of captain, with the tattoo to match, so anyone who knows what to look for will know his status.” Slade leaned back and considered the offer.

“Oliver, come here” Oliver swept to his feet in a graceful movement snatching up his bow. He stood close to Slade, curious. “This man is offering you protection, but you will need to experience pain to get it. Do you accept?” Oliver’s eyes narrowed.

“What sort of pain?”

“A tattoo.”

“Like my dragon.” It wasn’t a question but Slade answered anyway.

“Yes.” Oliver paused in thought before suddenly snapping his head forward in a nod. His eyes turned to Anatoly determined. 

“Even after all this time still so brave” Anatoly murmured. “But Mr. Wilson, is it so wise to arm him so?”

“You would do best not to mistake simplicity for weakness Mr. Knyazev. Many an empire was brought down by such hubris. We have sufficient tools for the task at hand in the lower levels if that is agreeable.” Slade stood up and started to straighten his clothes.

“Of course. I brought a man who is trained in the necessary pattern with me.” replied Anatoly following suit. Oliver blindly grasped out at the space next to him till he found Slade’s sleeve and latched on, allowing himself to be lead out of the room leaving his puzzle behind.

**Author's Note:**

> Did some more minor grammar edits.


End file.
